Graduation speech: “You are not special”

David McCullough tells the class of 2012: “Do not get the idea you’re anything special. Because you’re not.” (Wellesley TV)

What do you say to a group of privileged yet hard-working students who are graduating from a tony Massachusetts high school and facing a bad economy and job market? One high school English teacher decided to tell it straight and said, “You are not special. You are not exceptional.” Harsh words for the kids of millionaires!

On the steps of Wellesley High School on June 1, David McCullough Jr. gave what might be the most honest commencement speech ever to the class of 2012, and his blunt words grabbed the attention of the nation. Some felt he was too negative, but most overwhelmingly agreed that his speech was just what this “entitled” generation needed to hear. These kids who win trophies for coming in last needed to realize that everyone doesn’t win in the real world and everything isn’t served on a silver platter.

McCullough, son of of the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough, went on to say:

You are not exceptional. Contrary to what your u9 soccer trophy suggests, your glowing seventh grade report card, despite every assurance of a certain corpulent purple dinosaur, that nice Mister Rogers and your batty Aunt Sylvia, no matter how often your maternal caped crusader has swooped in to save you… you’re nothing special.

Yes, you’ve been pampered, cosseted, doted upon, helmeted, bubble-wrapped. Yes, capable adults with other things to do have held you, kissed you, fed you, wiped your mouth, wiped your bottom, trained you, taught you, tutored you, coached you, listened to you, counseled you, encouraged you, consoled you and encouraged you again. You’ve been nudged, cajoled, wheedled and implored. You’ve been feted and fawned over and called sweetie pie. Yes, you have. And, certainly, we’ve been to your games, your plays, your recitals, your science fairs. Absolutely, smiles ignite when you walk into a room, and hundreds gasp with delight at your every tweet. Why, maybe you’ve even had your picture in the Townsman! And now you’ve conquered high school… and, indisputably, here we all have gathered for you, the pride and joy of this fine community, the first to emerge from that magnificent new building…

But do not get the idea you’re anything special. Because you’re not.

The empirical evidence is everywhere, numbers even an English teacher can’t ignore. Newton, Natick, Nee… I am allowed to say Needham, yes? …that has to be two thousand high school graduates right there, give or take, and that’s just the neighborhood Ns. Across the country no fewer than 3.2 million seniors are graduating about now from more than 37,000 high schools. That’s 37,000 valedictorians… 37,000 class presidents… 92,000 harmonizing altos… 340,000 swaggering jocks… 2,185,967 pairs of Uggs.

The speech quickly went viral, first appearing in the Boston Heraldand then getting picked up by CNN.

McCullough made an appearance on “CBS This Morning” earlier this week to talk about his speech.

“I’ve been teaching high-school kids for 26 years,” he said. “And in that time, one comes to see what kids need to be told. These are wonderful kids, and one grows very fond of them and proud of them.

“That doesn’t mean you should indulge them with platitudes or false encouragement,” he went on. “I wanted to give them a notion that with their privilege comes responsibility.”